#1 Rule In Scuba, Don't Hold Your.....

[rob.mwpropane]

I'm nearing the end of class, and while I understand the importance of the rule, I don't understand the extent of which it should be applied. For instance, how many people hold there breath when swapping regulators underwater? Whether it be to prevent a freeflow, or air share? I saw a video earlier today where he held his breath while demonstrating a regulator retrieval when removed from his mouth.

This was in wreck diving (@ 8:22 in);

I completely understand the need to breath out while ascending.

Which brings me to my second question. A C.E.S.A. I understand the routine line of doing an "AHHHHH" sound while ascending, but can you really make a safe ascent @ the required 60 fpm (or 30 fpm for some) and still have enough air? Or is it just the act of allowing air to escape the lungs (which is why they say to make noise while doing it) and that's good enough? For example; breathing out just enough that you don't subconsciously hold your breath?

I'm interested in real world experience. I can stay under water for a decent amount of time while breathing out, but if I was making the "AAHHHHH" sound I think my big mouth would expel most of the air in me before it had a chance to expand!

And maybe, just maybe, I'm overthinking things.....

 

[Lorenzoid]

I completely understand the need to breath out while ascending.

That's all that matters. The "rule" is taught in a black and white manner (using the word "never") to make it easy for the student. Most divers soon come to understand that "never" was an overstatement, and that the real point is not to hold your breath while ascending.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Here are some posts on the CESA:

Making a CESA "ahhhh sound?"

Is exhaling too slowly during a CESA a concern?

CESA Ever Done it? Tell your Story

How deep can you do a CESA and survive?

Who here has done a real life CESA and what was your experience?

 

[TMHeimer]

The thing is to keep your airway open so the expanding lung air can escape (of course you know that). The AHHH SOUND is so the instructor is SURE you are not closing off your airway....thus avoiding a possible fatal accident in even pool depth water. Sometimes I will hold my breath while hovering over a flounder I prepare to poke spear--so not to spook him. I don't know about holding your breath descending, but recommend against it. I still always do make the Ah... sound when practicing a CESA from 20-30 feet, though some advise against even practicing a CESA. As I mostly dive solo, I have to know I can still do it.

 

[JamesBon92007]

Well, they could say don't hold your breath "while ascending" but that would place conditions on the rule which could be mis-interpreted or mis-understood. The KISS principle.

Before the AAHHHH they simply told us to blow bubbles constantly. Can we make it to the surface? Maybe. I've done it from 50 feet and it was not easy because your natural tendency is to want to hold your breath but you know you cannot.

Another thing you have been (or should have been taught) is that if you breathe air from any source at depth you must exhale upon ascent. Some bonehead was demonstrating (in a video) an underwater "bubble" where you could swim around and go back in for a breath. I didn't watch the video but hopefully they made it clear that the air in that bubble is compressed air at depth and you must exhale during ascent if you breathe it.

I hold my breath underwater on a regular basis for various reasons, however I remain very conscious of when I took that breath (at what depth) and if I am ascending past the point where I began to hold my breath, I exhale. Easy for me but perhaps not so easy for a beginner, hence "never hold your breath."

 

[rhwestfall]

"ahhhhhhh" - nah.

I follow the "DD" method and say "sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet" all the way up as that is what is going through your mind when you need to do a CSEA.

YMMV

 

[dmaziuk]

I completely understand the need to breath out while ascending.

And if you're hanging mid-water with no obvious visual references and not looking at your gauge (say, because you're busy swapping the regs), are you sure you are not ascending?

 

[Steve_C]

If you are at 60 ft then you have 3 lung fulls of air (at surface pressure) so you need to bleed off the equivalent of two of them on the way up.

 

[Lorenzoid]

And if you're hanging mid-water with no obvious visual references and not looking at your gauge (say, because you're busy swapping the regs), are you sure you are not ascending?

No, you can't be 100% "sure." Even the most skilled diver might float up or down a little in midwater without a visual reference. I recall being taught to blow bubbles "ANY" time a reg is not in my mouth underwater. Like the rule to "NEVER" hold your breath, it now seems a little crude. Once a diver has gained enough experience to be able to maintain depth within a few feet while swapping regs or doing whatever, I think he can replace "any" and "never" with common sense.

 

[ScottFL78]

My guess. Ahhhhh is so that you know the air is coming from your lungs. You can't make noise without air from your lungs passing the vocal chords. I equate it to having the valve on your lungs cracked open. You could simply have a mouth full of air and let out bubbles real slow while having your lungs retain the air in them but that would be bad on an ascent.